Hold on to the Nights

by Karen Foley

  As they watched, a picture of Graeme appeared on the screen and the news anchor launched into a similar version of the story they had just read in the newspaper.

  “Christ,” muttered Graeme. “I’m going to fire my publicist. Either that, or kill him.”

  “I should probably tell ye that my son, Robbie, has already told several of his pals that ye’re staying here at the inn,” Margaret said. “There’s no telling who else they’ve told, but I’d say there’s a fair chance we’ll have reporters swarming the premises before dark.”

  A muscle worked in Graeme’s cheek as he considered Margaret’s words. “All right then,” he finally said. “Lara and I will leave now. We can reach London before midnight and be on a private jet back to Chicago from there.”

  Lara stared at him, appalled, but before she could protest, Margaret spoke.

  “I have a better idea,” she said, smiling. “My brother runs an inn about twenty kilometers from here where ye can stay. I promise ye this—he won’t breathe a word to anyone that ye’re there. And yer friends can have yer room here, and get a good night’s sleep.”

  “Oh, no—” Christopher began in an adamant voice, but Valerie abruptly cut him off.

  “We’ll do it,” she said, silencing Christopher with a single, fierce look. She turned to Graeme and Lara. “This is perfect. Christopher and I will switch places with you. If the paparazzi do show up, they can just hang around waiting for us to make an appearance.” She smiled serenely. “Which might not be for several days. Which will provide you with plenty of time to make an escape.”

  “Excellent,” Margaret said. “I’ll just send one of the girls up to change the bed linens, then. Oh, and Mr. Hamilton, I’ll have yer car brought around to the back, if you’d like. There’s a rear entrance and a small service road that will take ye out to the main street. Nobody will notice if ye slip out that way.”

  “Thank you very much,” Graeme said, dropping his car keys into her hand. “For everything.”

  “Val,” Lara began doubtfully, after Margaret had left. “I’m not sure this is a good idea.”

  “I think it’s a great idea.” Graeme’s tone said the issue had been resolved. He stood up. “Let’s go upstairs and pack. We can be on the road in fifteen minutes.”

  “Do you mind if we eat your dinner?” Val asked, eyeing Lara’s plate. “I’m actually a little hungry, come to think of it.”

  “Go right ahead.” Lara stood up, casting Christopher an apologetic look. “I really am sorry about all of this.”

  He shrugged and slid into the booth opposite Valerie. “Don’t worry about it. I know when I’m outgunned. Go on, get out of here.”

  Lara smiled her thanks at him, and then gave Valerie a hug. “Thank you so much,” she whispered.

  “No, thank you,” Val said into her ear. “This is the most fun I’ve had in years.”

  Lara followed Graeme up the stairs. Two housemaids were in their room, putting fresh sheets on the bed and restocking the bathroom, working quickly and efficiently. After they left, Graeme pulled his duffel bag and Lara’s suitcase out of the closet and began tossing their belongings into them.

  “I’m sorry I got you into this,” he finally said, closing her suitcase with a snap. “I never thought Tony would go this far. The good thing is that by this time next month, all of this will be old news and nobody will even remember anything.”

  “And what about you?” Lara asked quietly. “Will this be old news to you, too? Will you forget it ever happened?”

  She wasn’t talking about the salacious news story, and from the expression on his face, Graeme realized that. His eyes darkened and he took a step toward her.

  “No. I’ll remember everything. And if you’re willing to give me a chance, I can show you that my life isn’t all about signing autographs and doing interviews and running from the paparazzi.”

  Lara stilled. Her heart stopped beating and then exploded into life again. “What are you trying to say?”

  Graeme blew out a hard breath, and in that instant Lara saw how difficult it was for him to open himself to her, to risk rejection or worse.

  “I’m asking if you’ll consider coming to New Zealand with me.” He pressed a finger against her lips to stop her quick reply. “Before you answer, I should tell you that I’ll be working on location, but it won’t be every day. We’ll still have plenty of time to be together. I’ll have an apartment there, and I’ve heard some of the other cast are bringing their families, so you wouldn’t be completely alone.”

  He withdrew his finger and Lara drew in a slow, steady breath. “What about the divorce papers?”

  Graeme shrugged. “Bring them with you, if you must.”

  “What?”

  “If I can’t make you happy, then you still have your out. But I’d like more than just two days with you, love. You see, I haven’t been able to put you in my past, and I’m still not convinced that what we shared wasn’t just a fluke. I need more time to properly evaluate the situation.”

  “So you’re saying that I should come with you, and if at any time you fail to make me happy then you’ll sign the papers?”

  “Well, not without doing my damndest to change your mind, of course,” he said, grinning at her.

  “Oh, Graeme,” she breathed, feeling for the first time that her future might just hold everything that she’d ever dreamed about. But still, she hesitated. “I want to come with you, I really do.”

  “But—?”

  “I can’t leave for at least another month. The theater kids are doing a performance of The Wizard of Oz, and there’s this one little girl…If I’m not there to see her—”

  “Come when you’re ready, then,” he said, sliding his arms around her and pulling her against his chest. “I’ll be waiting.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I want you to come with me more than I’ve wanted anything in my life, Lara.”

  “I want to be with you. Christopher can run the theater program without me. And it looks like Val will be happy to help him. But I do have a condition.”

  He pulled back to look at her. “What’s that?”

  “I’m not bringing the divorce papers. If you don’t make me happy, then I’ll let you know.” She smiled at him. “I’m sure you can think of ways to get the relationship back on track.”

  “I’m certain I can,” he agreed, his hands sliding over her back and drawing her closer. “But I can’t promise it will always be easy going.”

  “We’ll just need to work at it. Every day.”

  “And maybe twice a day, if I’m very lucky,” he murmured, kissing her mouth.

  “Mmm. I’ve decided to continue with my writing, but this time I’m going to shoot for publication. You can be my research assistant for the intimate scenes, but I should warn you that I may be very demanding.”

  “I should warn you that I’m a slow learner,” he rasped against her lips. “You may need to show me things two or three times before I catch on.”

  “I’m very patient.” Lara smiled.

  Graeme smoothed her hair back from her face, studying her face as if he would commit each feature to memory. “I love you, Lara Hamilton, and I’m looking forward to a lifetime of research with you.”

  He was lowering his head toward hers when a female voice interrupted them.

  “Hey, you two, if you want to avoid the reporters then you’d better go now while you can. The innkeeper said to tell you that the media are starting to arrive.”

  They drew apart to see Valerie and Christopher in the doorway of the room, each of them carrying a small overnight bag. Christopher looked anywhere but at them.

  “I don’t know about this, Val,” he said dubiously, his gaze traveling around their surroundings. “This room is pretty small, and there’s only one bed.”

  Val gave Lara a knowing wink. “Oh, wow, I had no idea we’d have to share a bed. The things I do in the name of friendship.”

  Grinning, Graeme pick
ed up his duffel bag and slung it over one shoulder before picking up Lara’s small suitcase. “Thanks again for covering for us,” he said to Christopher.

  “Take care of her.”

  “I intend to.” He wrapped his free arm around Lara’s shoulder and drew her into the hallway where Margaret was waiting.

  “There are reporters downstairs,” she said quietly, “but I told them ye haven’t left your room since ye arrived, that ye’re like newlyweds.” She smiled broadly. “Yer car is waiting in the back, and they’ll never suspect a thing. Take this service staircase down to the first floor, turn left and then follow the corridor out to the rear entrance. Good luck, my dears.”

  Behind them, they heard Val’s voice as she spoke to Christopher in a sultry tone. “Well, here we are, just you and me. You know, we could always work on our theater arts skills…maybe do a little role-playing to pass the time. So who do you prefer, Professor…Ginger or Mary Ann?”

  They turned in time to see the bedroom door close, and then heard the lock as it clicked into place.

  Lara turned to Graeme with a smile. “I always liked role-playing. After all, look how well it worked for me.”

  Graeme laughed and tucked her against his side as they made their way down the back staircase. “As much as I enjoyed your slave-girl performance, I like your current role best of all.” He paused to kiss her. Softly. Reverently. “My wife.”

  Lara kissed him back, knowing it was a part she’d willingly keep for the rest of her life.

  Epilogue

  JOSIE UNLOCKED the door of the little costume shop, Dressed to Thrill, feeling unaccountably morose. Snow had fallen during the night, turning the Chicago streets into a glittering winter wonderland. Christmas was just weeks away, and she should be feeling more festive. The shop had never been busier and her boss, Carol, had just given birth to a healthy baby girl after a long and difficult pregnancy. She’d also promised Josie a nice Christmas bonus for running the shop while Carol had been on extended maternity leave. But instead of feeling jolly, Josie felt downright depressed. She’d be spending yet another holiday season alone.

  She thought again of Tom, and mentally kicked herself for having been so rude to him the last time he’d come by the shop with a delivery, all because she’d overheard him talking to another woman on his cell phone. In retrospect, she’d behaved like an immature teenager. So what if he was seeing other women? She didn’t have exclusive rights to him. She wasn’t even dating him, for Pete’s sake, and with an attitude like the one she’d displayed, she never would. How many times had her friends told her that she needed to show more confidence and be more assertive? She should have taken control of the situation and made her feelings clear. Instead, she’d let him walk out of the shop.Closing the door behind her, Josie flipped on the lights and made her way to the stockroom at the back of the store, peeling off her hat and gloves as she went and shoving them into the pockets of her coat. It was still early, and the shop wouldn’t open for another thirty minutes. She would put on a pot of coffee and watch the morning news while she went through the online orders.

  Tossing her coat onto the sofa in the back room, she switched on the little television that sat on a shelf surrounded by brightly colored costume accessories. As she carefully measured out the coffee, she glanced at the television. The Chicago morning show was one of her favorites.

  “And now, a very special story that’s sure to warm even the coldest of hearts,” said the smiling female talk-show host, “although ladies, if you’re a Graeme Hamilton fan, this story might just break your heart.”

  Josie watched, intrigued, as the camera switched to a young couple standing in the middle of a bustling airport. Her eyes widened as she recognized Graeme Hamilton, the celebrity heartthrob from the television series Galaxy’s End. He had one arm around a pretty redhead, and although he was talking to the reporter, his eyes never left the woman’s face.

  “So are the rumors true?” the reporter asked. “You’re actually married, and you managed to keep it a secret for the past five years?”

  “Yeah,” Graeme said with a grin. “It’s true. This is my wife, Lara.”

  Josie gasped, thinking of the online customer who had requested a Galaxy’s End costume just a week earlier, and how she’d sent her a Star Wars costume instead. She hadn’t switched the costumes to be malicious; she’d hoped to help the woman attract a man’s attention, but apparently this man had never even been in the market. She recalled all the times she’d seen Graeme Hamilton’s picture in the tabloids, escorting other women to movie premieres and promotional events. To think he’d been married all that time. Her opinion of him slid south, and she couldn’t help but wonder what his wife thought about his keeping their marriage a secret.

  “You’re gorgeous,” she murmured, “but not too bright.”

  The camera switched to the young woman, and Josie felt a pang of envy. Far from looking upset, she glowed with happiness. The woman was pretty in a wholesome, girl-next-door kind of way, but the expression in her blue eyes as she looked at Graeme made her downright beautiful. They were obviously nuts about each other.

  “I just can’t believe how everything worked out,” the woman said, blushing as she caught Graeme’s eye. “To think, I owe it all to a crazy costume mix-up.”

  Josie’s mouth fell open. Setting the coffee down, she walked over to the television, her eyes riveted on the small screen.

  “You see,” Lara continued, smiling into her husband’s eyes, “I always believed that our marriage ended five years ago. I had planned to attend the Galaxy’s End fan festival to ask Graeme for a divorce. But then the costume shop sent me the wrong outfit, and when Graeme saw me at the masquerade ball—”

  “I knew it was her right away,” he interjected, his face close to hers. “We got married so young, and at the time it didn’t work out.” He shrugged. “We were just kids, and we had a lot of things working against us. But I never stopped loving her, and this time we’re going to make it work.”

  Josie’s eyes widened as Lara turned and looked directly into the camera. “I want to extend a special thank-you to the shop that mixed up my costume order, because without them I might not have my happy ending. So, to the people at Dressed to Thrill, if you’re watching this, I just want to say thank-you. The costume you mistakenly sent made me feel confident and empowered. It gave me the courage to go after my dreams. And for the ladies out there, I know how disappointed you must be to find out that Graeme isn’t single, but I promise you that there’s a guy out there who’s as perfect for you as he is for me.”

  The camera switched back to the morning show, where the talk-show hosts continued their animated discussion about Graeme and his surprise marriage, and they even ran a video clip of the outside of the costume shop. But Josie was no longer listening. She still couldn’t believe how her deliberate costume mix-up had resulted in such a happy reunion.

  Smiling, she drummed a finger against her lips. What had Lara said about having the courage to go after her dreams? Maybe that was the tactic she needed to use with Tom. The next time he showed up at her shop with a delivery, she’d confront him with her true feelings so that he was left in no doubt about how much she wanted him.

  She just hoped the results would be as satisfying as Lara’s….

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-4265-8HOLD ON TO THE NIGHTS

  Copyright © 2009 by Karen Foley.

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  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance
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